Mattg4321

From memory that sounds roughly correct I think. You should probably have more flow through the longer loops than the shorter ones though, so the system is balanced. You can adjust via the flow meters.

Yes you can do that and the pump will run continuously

I’m willing to bet the upstairs heating is on a separate manifold and is unrelated to the problem. I’m also willing to be that the 20amp isolator you’ve pointed the yellow arrow at is for the immersion heater. The blending valve has to be the thing to try next.

It sounds like plumber has already flushed it through, which if done properly would eliminate an air lock hopefully. It also seems weird to me to have an air lock in underfloor heating (a low point in the system) when nothing has been worked on and it was previously working well. Sounds like something has gone faulty or been fiddled with and is severely restricting the flow.

For some reason you’re not getting enough flow of water through the system. Hopefully someone with a plumbing background can offer some further advice. Something is throttling it, perhaps even the blending valve as fiddling with that is the only thing that has slightly improved things (the flow meters moved) Can’t be pump as that has been changed.

I’m not a plumber, but I had a similar system in my old house and I’ve wired a load of these systems up. It sounds like either you’re getting no/not enough flow of water through the pipework, or that the water is too cold. As above, it could be that the blending valve is faulty and is causing the water to be too cold. What flow rate do the flow meters show when the system is running? If they’re all at the top showing at or near 0, then you don’t have any/enough flow. They usually flutter/move around very slightly all the time the system is running properly too in my limited experience. You say the top row of the manifold is hot, which makes me think it’s a problem with a lack of flow. Have you somehow managed to throttle back all the flow meters/turn them off? You mentioned you were fiddling with them last year. Once properly balanced they should be left alone really.

This isn’t a definitive answer, but I’m not sure it’s something to lose sleep over. I’ve come across loads of cables stuck to polystyrene, but in no cases did the cable sheathing appear brittle, although obviously some sort of reaction has taken place for them to become stuck. It does seem to happen more frequently and seriously with older polystyrene and older cables, but that could just be due to them being in contact for a longer period of time. I’ve never come across a measurable fault caused by polystyrene and cables touching. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, it just must be uncommon.

The reality is that most rings these days are carrying a very light load, with the exception of kitchens, but even here the load will be sporadic. Very few people plug in electric heaters nowadays. The number of burnt out connections on a ring circuit that I’ve seen is very low compared to cookers/showers/main switches/neutral bars in consumers units where it’s very common

Look at Table 4A2 for more detail on installation reference methods. It’s a judgment call though really. Regs book is out in the van, but think it’s Regulation 433.1.204 in BS7671.

Diversity is not usually applied to a single ring final circuit. It’s not really relevant. The circuit can’t be overloaded, because if the current surpasses 32amps for any length of time the breaker will disconnect. Ie if you plug in enough 2kw heaters. Each point on the ring is supplied with 2x cables. The key requirement being that each cable must be rated at 20amps or greater. Table 4D5 is the one to use here for twin and earth cable. Reference method 100 is probably the most likely result of acoustic insulation between floors. This gives a current carrying capacity for 2.5mm2 of 21amps and is thus acceptable.

Ideally you shouldn’t install any equipment in the meter cupboard. DNO’s can get upset. In reality it’s fine if there’s enough room for a smart meter and good access to all the equipment in the meter box. However if the consumer unit is as easily accessible as it sounds, then I’d want the consumer unit for the EVSE there.

Any tips on what to look for/how to properly seal the dot and dab? Just a matter of sealing all round the perimeter of each board?

Also, if the circuit is indeed 30A (not 32A), it’s likely the fuseboard/consumer unit will want updating really. Is it a rewireable fuse or an MCB?

That doesn’t look like a safe installation. The back box is for an old cooker control unit. No longer made and nothing will fit it that I know of. The 45A isolator switch looks to be bodged. Looks like a neon that has been interfered with. Also the earthing assembly has been pulled off the plate, so if that neon is as sketchy as it looks you could have a very dangerous situation brewing. What you are wanting to do should be possible, taking into account diversity, but you need to get someone who knows what they are doing to sort that abomination out!

All the tools usually end up at the bottom of the tote in a mess is my problem with them, certainly the cheap ones. I used to have one of these, but broke it by standing on it too many times. It was pretty good for the money though. I then moved across to bags as I then have 2 free hands too carry more into the job in one hit. https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fatmax-cantilever-tool-box-18-/83912?kpid=83912&cm_mmc=Google-_-Datafeed-_-Tools?kpid=KINASEKPID&cm_mmc=Google-_-TOKEN1-_-TOKEN2&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsvWrBhC0ARIsAO4E6f8cu-LK0HpiBWBDnAZ7V7eMag2qY0Jq2qhyYyticpIECpR_mA1LrMcaAnRlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yeah sorry, it’s worth it for me as I was going through £50 ones at least 2 a year. This one is 3 years old so far and like new. Also, much nicer to use!

Toolbag Veto Pro Pac Tech Pac. Gets totally hammered every day and it’s bulletproof. I was destroying the CK/Stanley ones in a few months. Bit of an investment though, so not for diyers or just storage probably.

That last sentence. As with everything these days. Rampant unchecked capitalism is the root cause of most of our problems these days imo. Can be blamed on every government without exception for the last 50 years probably. Doesn’t matter how many times the public attempt to vote for/communicate that we want more accountability/power to be less centralised/the power of the super rich/elite class to be brought under control, we get the opposite.

Typical architect 🤨🤣 Sorry mate, I’m only pulling your chain. 2 months probably isn’t realistic in the vast majority of cases. You’d need to flood the site with labour and unless they’re all really good and used to working alongside eachother then it’s going to go pear shaped very quickly. If you’ve got the contacts I suppose it could just about work, but why?

Loft zone is another option

You don’t want an MCB protecting a distribution circuit/sub main as you’ll never achieve selectivity between that and the final circuit. A fault on one of the final circuits can cause the MCB at origin of distribution circuit to operate. Very annoying and poor design. The only way to do it properly is with a switch fuse isolator. Whether that be TPN or SP. Edit, wrong link!!

Agreed in terms of pollution, but the above are more convenient in that you don’t need a supply of petrol/diesel that is liable to go off if not used in fairly short order. A problem a few of my customers have had after I’ve wired in a generator hook up and change over switch for them.

Running a heat pump with a fossil fuel generator sort of defeats the object though!! Ok for very sporadic use I guess!

To be fair a gas boiler would run for hours, or probably days, on battery using an Inverter with island mode. A HP would deplete a domestic battery fairly rapidly. I’m all for cutting pollution and would fit a HP in place of my gas boiler, but would rather have a backup supply of heat for if (when?) the grid fails. Will be keeping my gas fire and would consider a log burner if not. I don’t like sitting in the cold, especially when it’s due to the £@&&wits in charge and their half baked, short term plans and targets.

Just for reference... https://www.labc.co.uk/news/how-get-it-right-notches-holes-solid-timber-joists